July statistics flag up delays

Airlines reported 13 tarmac delays of more than three hours on domestic flights and three tarmac delays of more than four hours on international flights in July. This information was detailed in the US Department of Transportation’s Air Travel Consumer Report.
Of the 13 domestic delays, 12 involved flights departing New York’s LaGuardia airport on July 22: this was in the wake of a runway incident. All of the reported tarmac delays, domestic and international, are under investigation by the Department.
All the larger US airlines have been required to file complete reports on their long tarmac delays for domestic flights since October 2008. Under a rule that took effect August 23, 2011, all US and foreign airlines operating at least one aircraft with 30 or more passenger seats must report any unduly long tarmac delays at US airports.
Also that year, carriers operating international flights were not permitted tarmac delays at US airports to last longer than four hours without giving passengers an opportunity to deplane. There is a separate three hour limit on tarmac delays involving domestic flights, which went into effect in April 2010. Exceptions to the time limits for both domestic and international flights are allowed only for safety, security, or air traffic control-related reasons.

The 16 airlines that file their on-time performance data with the Department have reported that 73.1% of their flights arrived on time in July, which was down from the 76% on-time rate recorded in July 2012; this was, however, better than the 71.9% figure posted in June 2013.

 

 

Sequestration: cause for concern

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has warned that airport security lines would be longer if Congress allows sequestration to continue in the next financial year. Further, she has called for Congress to end the automatic budget cuts that have been in place since March this year. If the budget cuts continue, she believes, passengers will have to wait longer at security checkpoints before their flights.

When the sequestration process was first implemented, Napolitano warned of the possibility of longer airport security lines. Critics argued that she (along with other Obama administration officials) was using “scare tactics” to win the political argument with Republicans over the budget. Napolitano denies this, saying that the threat is very real and that it needs addressing now.

 

 

Passenger figures up

According to recent data released by Airports Council International, which is based in Montreal, more than 1.56bn passengers arrived and departed from North American airports in 2012. This represents a 1.3% increase on the previous year. Cargo increased by 0.8% while total operations decreased by 1.4%.

“The fact that North America’s airports continue to rank among the world’s busiest underscores their tremendous importance to the global economy and the economies of the local communities that they serve,” said Deborah C. McElroy, interim President of Airports Council International-North America. “Making the necessary infrastructure investments today will ensure that companies in North America, as well as ACI-NA’s member airports, retain their competitive edge in the future.”

The four busiest airports were Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta, with more than 95.5m passengers, followed by Chicago’s O’Hare, with 66.6m. Los Angeles was close behind (63.7m) whilst Dallas/Fort Worth posted a figure of 58.6m.

Memphis International kept its position as the largest cargo airport in North America, handling approximately 4m tonnes of freight, which equated to an increase of 2.5% over last year’s totals. Anchorage International ranked second in North America, with a 3.1% decrease in its cargo volume to 2.5m tonnes.

Canada’s busiest airport was Toronto Pearson, ranked 14^th in North America for passengers with 34.9m: this was an increase of 4.4% over 2011. It ranked 15^th in terms of total cargo handled (with 417,022 tonnes) and took 11^th position in terms of total movements.

 

 

Vancouver goes for automated solution

At the start of September, Vancouver Airport Authority announced that its Automated Passport Control, a technology solution developed by Vancouver Airport Authority in conjunction with the US Customs and Border Protection, would be available to Canadian passport holders travelling to the US from Vancouver International.

“Vancouver Airport Authority is constantly looking for ways to move people and bags through the airport more efficiently,” commented Craig Richmond, President and CEO, Vancouver Airport Authority. “Automated Passport Control is just one of the many examples of homegrown innovation developed here that improves the traveling experience. Because of the demonstrated success of Automated Border Clearance and now Automated Passport Control, other airports are approaching us to help them implement these Vancouver-designed programs.”

Automated Passport Control is an expedited customs entry process that allows eligible passengers travelling from Vancouver International Airport to the US to clear Customs and Border Protection more efficiently, while still ensuring the same high standard of safety and security. Since its launch at the airport, Vancouver Airport Authority has provided the technology to Chicago Department of Aviation, installing the system at Chicago O’Hare, which has become the first US airport to implement Automated Passport Control. Vancouver Airport Authority is now working with Montreal-Trudeau Airport and Delta Air Lines at John F Kennedy’s Terminal 4 in New York to implement the same technology.

Based on data collected at Vancouver and O’Hare, Automated Passport Control has significantly increased passenger processing efficiency. Key improvements when using Automated Passport Control include that of a quadrupling of passengers processed per Customs Border Control officer and a solution that is 89% faster than the typical Customs and Border Protection primary inspection process. Further, it has been calculated that 33% less time is spent waiting in line by travelers.